A computed tomography (CT) scanner includes a rotating gantry rotatably supported by a stationary gantry. The rotating gantry supports an x-ray tube, which emits radiation that traverses an examination region and a patient therein, and a detector array that detects radiation traversing the examination region and generates projection data indicative of the detected radiation. A reconstructor reconstructs the projection data and generates volumetric image data indicative of the portion of the patient in the examination region. A subject support supports the patient in the examination region before, during and/or after scanning. Generally, the subject support includes a base, which is affixed to the floor of the examination room and is configured to move vertically and a tabletop, which is affixed to the base and is configured to translate horizontally.
With an adult, the patient lies on the tabletop, and the tabletop moves the patient in and out of the examination region for scanning. With an infant, it is often necessary to secure the patient to the tabletop using a restraint or the like to comfortably and safely immobilize the infant to mitigate falling off the support and to reduce motion during scanning. However, a typical tabletop is configured to support adults, and, as such, the tabletop may not be well-suited to comfortably and safely immobilize an infant. An infant support, which horizontally slides partially onto the front end of the tabletop nearest the gantry, has been used to support an infant for scanning. Unfortunately, such a support may be difficult to install as there is limited space between the front end of the tabletop and the gantry, and, unlike positioning the infant directly on the tabletop, using such a support limits the region of the tabletop which can be used to scan an infant.
In view of at least the above, there is an unresolved need for other approaches that facilitates scanning an infant.